Method of coordinately processing pieces of copy information and information recording/reproducing apparatus

ABSTRACT

The copy-related information of an input video signal is detected and the copy control information of RDI located at the head of each video object unit and the scrambling control information described in the packet header of the video packets in the video object unit to which the RDI belongs are rewritten so as to coordinate the contents of the copy-related information, those of the copy control information and those of the scrambling control information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromthe prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-050455, filed Feb. 26,2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a recording/reproducing apparatus providedwith a functional feature of coordinately processing restrictiveinformation such as copy-related information including small units ofdata and larger units of data containing such small units.

This invention may typically be applicable to a recording/reproducingapparatus such as one adapted to use a DVD (digital versatile disk), onecomprising a hard disk or a built-in large capacity semiconductormemory, or one adapted to simultaneously use a hard disk and a removableDVD, or similar, storage medium.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, in the technology of image compression, a DVD Standardemploying both the MPEG 2 (Moving Image Coding Expert Group) System thatis currently used as an international standard and the AC3 AudioCompression System has been proposed.

This standard is adapted to support the MPEG 2 System for moving imagecompression and also the AC3 Audio Compression System and the MPEG AudioCompression System for audio compression. It is also adapted to handlesub image data obtained by run length compression of bit map data forsuperimposition in movies and karaoke videos. This standard also definescontrol data (navi-pack) for special reproduction operations, such asfast forwarding and fast rewinding in reproducing apparatuses.Furthermore, this standard is also adapted to support the standards forISO9660 and micro UDF.

Additionally, the standard for DVD-RAMs (with a storage capacity ofabout 4.7 GB) has been completed for the media and DVD-RAM drives havebeen popularly marketed as peripheral devices of computers.

Still additionally, the standard for RTR (real time recording)-RAMswhich is a standard allowing DVD videos to record/reproduce informationon a real time bases has been almost completed and the verifyingoperation will soon be over. This standard is based on the standard forcurrently marketed DVD videos. Efforts for providing a standard for filesystems corresponding to such RTR-DVDs are currently being made.

Meanwhile, systems for recording/reproducing broadcast signals byutilizing a hard disk drive (HDD) built in a recording/reproducingapparatus are being discussed currently. Data with a volume more than100 G bytes can be stored by means of a hard disk drive.

Along with the development of image compression technology, efforts arebeing paid for developing recording/reproducing apparatus that areadapted to effectively utilize information storage media (DVDs, harddisks, semiconductor memories, etc.) for the purpose of recordingbroadcast signals.

In a possible mode of utilization of such an apparatus, a signal of abroadcast program (or a signal reproduced from some other recordingmedium) is input to a recording/reproducing apparatus, which convertsthe program signal into a predetermined format and stores it in arecording medium. Such recording operations will be carried out inpreset intermittent program recording time slots. A number of programswill be temporarily stored in a built-in storage medium. Then, differentprograms will be combined and edited by cutting off parts of them.

In such a mode of utilization, however, restrictions may be imposed oncopying certain programs. However, the relationship between the copycontrol information (CCI) defined in the real time recording controlinformation (RDI) for the format of DVD-RAM and the control informationdefined in the video pack of a video packet is not specifically definedin apparatuses adapted to use a DVD-RAM. This means that, if copyprohibiting information is contained in the RDI pack as a navigationthat is added for a unit of a video object as defined for the DVD-RAMformat, there may be cases where the video pack (the information on theMPEG format) in the unit can be taken out independently to reproduce thevideo, thus bypassing the prohibition.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an aspect of the present invention, it is an object to coordinatecopy control information of a hierarchical data structure. According tothe invention, there are provided a method for coordinately processingcopy information and an information recording/reproducing apparatus thatare adapted to establish matching between copy control information on avideo object unit basis and copy control information on a video packunit basis so that no pirated copies may be made nor reproduced.

More specifically, in an aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an information recording/reproducing apparatus for recordingand playback video information, comprising: means for assembling videopacks, using the input source; means for assembling a video object unit,using the video packs; and means for coordinating the content of thecopy control information with the content of the video scramblingcontrol information when the video object unit is assembled.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectsand advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means ofthe instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed outhereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitutes apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, andtogether with the general description given above and the detaileddescription of the embodiments given below, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of informationrecording/reproducing apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the data format adopted forDVD-RAMs;

FIGS. 3A through 3D are schematic illustrations of the data structure ofreal time data information (RDI) arranged at the head of a video objectunit that is adopted for DVD-RAMs;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the information contained in thepacket header of a video packet, an audio packet or a sub picture packetas defined in the DVD Standard;

FIGS. 5A through 5C are schematic illustration of the information thatcan be inserted into a vertical blanking period of a television signal;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the copy control information processingoperation of the embodiment of information recording/reproducingapparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of the progress with time of aprocessing operation for rewriting the copy control information of avideo object conducted by following the sequence shown in the flow chartof copy control information processing operation shown in FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8A through 8C are schematic illustrations of information on theaspect ratio during a vertical blanking period of a television signal;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of an operation of processing the information onthe aspect ratio that is conducted by an apparatus according to theinvention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of the progress with time of aprocessing operation for rewriting the aspect ratio information of avideo object conducted by following the sequence shown in the flow chartof aspect ratio information processing operation shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of the directory structure in a DVDsystem;

FIG. 12 is a schematic and hierarchical illustration of the datastructure of a real time recording manager confirming to the DVDrecording Standard, showing the video attributes thereof in particular;

FIG. 13 is another operation of processing the information on the aspectratio that is conducted by an apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 14 is a schematic and hierarchical illustration of the datastructure of another real time recording manager confirming to the DVDrecording Standard, showing the video attributes thereof in particular;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart of an operation of coordinating different piecesof copy-related information conducted on a VOBU unit basis;

FIG. 16 is a schematic illustration of information on the fileconfiguration of a DVD file system;

FIG. 17 is a schematic illustration of the configuration of the fileentry information in FIG. 16; and

FIG. 18 is a flow chart of the operation of another embodiment accordingto the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Now, the present invention will be described in greater detail byreferring to the accompanying drawing that illustrates embodiments ofthe invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the informationrecording/reproducing apparatus according to the invention. While thisembodiment is a recording/reproducing apparatus adapted to handle bothDVD-RAMs and hard disks, it may alternatively be so arranged that theembodiment handles only one of the two types of recording medium. Stillalternatively, the hard disk or the DVD-RAM may be replaced by asemiconductor memory.

The blocks of FIG. 1 may be divided into those for recording, shown onthe left side, and those for reproduction, shown on the right side.

This embodiment of an information recording/reproducing apparatuscomprises a hard disk drive section 2001, a disk drive section 1002 fordriving an optical disk 1001, that performs writing information to thedisk 1001 which is adapted to store composed video files, and readinginformation from the disk 1001, and a data processor section 1003 whichis adapted to supply data to be recorded to the hard disk drive section2001 and the disk drive section 1002, and receives signals reproducedfrom them. The data processor section 1003 is designed to handle data tobe recorded or reproduced on a unit by unit basis and includes a buffercircuit, a modulator/demodulator circuit and an error correctioncircuit.

This embodiment of a recording/reproducing apparatus further comprises,as major components, an encoder section 50 operating for the imagerecording side of the apparatus, a decoder section 60 operating for theimage reproducing side of the apparatus and a microcomputer block 30 forcontrolling the overall operation of the apparatus main body.

The encoder section 50 has analog/digital converters for respectivelydigitizing input analog video signals and input analog audio signals, avideo encoder and an audio encoder, as well as a sub video encoder (orsub picture encoder), a formatter for formatting the output of each ofthe encoders into a predetermined DVD-RAM format, and a buffer memory.

The encoder 50 receives external analog video signals and externalanalog audio signals from an AV input section 41, and analog videosignals and analog audio signals from a TV (television) tuner 42.

When the encoder 50 receives digital video and audio signals, itforwards them directly to the formatter. It is also adapted to supplyvideo and audio data respectively to a video mixing section and an audioselector, which will be described hereinafter.

The video encoder compresses each digital video signal at a variable bitrate conforming to the MPEG 2 or MPEG 1 Standard. The audio encodercompresses each digital audio signal at a fixed bit rate conforming tothe MPEG or AC-3 Standard or converts it into a linear PCM digital audiosignal.

When sub video information (e.g., a signal from a DVD video playerhaving an independent output terminal for sub video signals) is inputfrom the AV input section 42 or when a DVD video signal having such adata structure is broadcast and received by the TV tuner 42, the subvideo signal in the DVD video signal is encoded (run length coded) bythe sub video encoder to produce a bit map for the sub video signal.

The digital video signal, the digital audio signal and the sub videodata that are encoded are put into packs by the formatter to producevideo packs, audio packs and sub video packs, which are then puttogether and formatted to conform to a DVD Recording Standard (such asDVD-RAM, DVD-R or DVD-RW).

In this embodiment of an information recording/reproducing apparatus,the information (video packs, audio packs and sub video packs) encodedby the encoder section 50 and the control information prepared by thelatter may be supplied to and stored in the hard disk drive 2001 by wayof the data processor 1003. Additionally, the information recorded inthe hard disk may be copied or transferred to the optical disk 1001 byway of the data processor 1003 and the disk drive 1002. This is becausethe information stored in the hard disk and the information stored inthe optical disk 1001 have the same data format.

Still additionally, the information encoded by the encoder 50 and thecontrol information prepared by the latter may be directly stored in theoptical disk 1001 by way of the data processor 1003 and the disk drive1002. Furthermore, any of the files or video objects stored in theoptical disk 1001 and/or the hard disk may be erased.

It is also possible to partly erase the video objects of a plurality ofprograms stored in the hard disk and/or the optical disk 1001 and editsome of the video objects of different programs by appropriatelycombining them and cutting parts of them. This is because, the data unit(which will be described hereinafter) in the data format of theembodiment is defined to ease handle and edit.

If the format of the information stored in the hard disk of the harddisk drive section 2001 is different from the data format of the opticaldisk 1001, the information read out from the hard disk is encoded by theencoder 50 so that it may be recorded on the optical disk 1001. The diskdrive section 1002 has a rotation control system for the optical disk1001, a laser drive system, an optical system and so on.

The microcomputer block 30 includes an MPU (microprocessing unit) or aCPU (central processing unit), a ROM storing control programs and a RAMto be used for providing work areas necessary for executing programs.

The MPU of the microcomputer block 30 performs operations in accordancewith the control programs stored in the ROM such as detecting defectiveareas and unused storage areas, selecting an area for recording videoinformation, recording UDF and selecting an AV address, utilizing theRAM as a work area.

The microcomputer block 30 also includes information processing sectionsthat are required to control the overall system such as a work RAM, adirectory detector, a VMG information (overall video managementinformation) generating section, a copy-related information detectorsection, a copy and scrambling information processing section (RDIprocessing section), a packet header processing section, a sequenceheader processing section and an aspect ratio information processingsection.

Of the results obtained by a program executing operation of the MPU,those to be notified to the user are displayed on the display section 43of the DVD video recorder or the display screen of a monitor (OSD, onscreen display). The microcomputer block 30 additionally includes a keyinput section 44 for entering operation signals to be used for operatingthe apparatus.

The microcomputer block 30 operates to control the disk drive 1002, thedata processor 1003, the encoder 50 and/or the decoder 60, and so on atrespective timings as determined on the basis of the timing data fromthe STC 38. While signal recording/reproducing operations are normallyconducted in synchronism with the time clock of the STC 38, otherprocessing operations may be carried out independently from the STC 38.

The decoder section 60 has a separator for separating and taking outeach pack from a signal of a DVD format having a pack structure, amemory to be used for the operation of separating packs and other signalprocessing operations, a V decoder for decoding the main video data (thecontents of the main video pack) separated by the separator, an SPdecoder for decoding the sub picture data (the contents of the sub videopack) separated by the separator and an A decoder for decoding the audiodata (the contents of the audio pack) separated by the separator. Itadditionally has a video processor for appropriately syntheticallycombining the decoded main video data and the decoded sub video data andoutputting a signal for the main image superimposed with a menu,highlighted buttons and/or captions.

The output video signal of the decoder 60 is then input to a video mixer71, which is adapted to synthesize text data. The video mixer 71 isconnected to a line by which signals can be directly taken in from theTV tuner 41 or the A/V input section 42. A frame memory 72 that is usedas a buffer is connected to the video mixer 71. When the video mixer 71outputs a digital signal, it is output externally by way of an interface(I/F) 73. When, on the other hand, the video mixer 71 outputs an analogsignal, it is output externally by way of a digital/analog converter 74.

The output audio signal of the decoder section 60 is sent to adigital/analog converter 77 by way of a selector 76 and converted intoan analog signal there before it is externally output. The selector 76is controlled by a selection signal from the microcomputer block 30.Therefore, it is possible to directly monitor the digital signal comingfrom the TV tuner 41 or the A/V input section 42 through the encoder 50.

The formatter of the encoder 50 prepares section information (e.g.,information on GOP head interrupt) during a recording session andperiodically transmits it to the microcomputer block 30. Sectioninformation may include the number of packs of the VOBU, the end addressof the I picture starting from the head of the VOBU and the reproductiontime of the VOBU.

At the same time, the information from the aspect information processingsection is transmitted to the MPU at the recording start time and theMPU prepares VOB stream information (STI). STI includes resolution dataand aspect data and each decoder is initialized on the basis of thisinformation at the time of a signal reproducing operation.

A single video file is stored on a recording/reproducing DVD.

What needs attention when accessing data by means of a real timerecording/reproducing apparatus adapted to utilize a DVD is thatcontiguous sectors are minimally required in order to continuereproducing data while accessing (seeking) the data to be reproduced. Aunit of a contiguous sector is referred to as a CDA (contiguous dataarea), which represents a predefined data size necessary for realizingseamless reproduction of data.

Advantageously, a CDA is defined on the basis of a unit of ECC (errorcorrection code) block. Therefore, it is preferable that a CDA is madeto have a size of a multiple of 16 sectors, and data are recorded byfile systems on a CDA by CDA basis. The data processor 1003 receivesdata from the formatter of the encoder 50 on a VOBU by VOBU basis andfeeds the disk drive 1002 with data on a CDA by CDA basis. The MPU ofthe microcomputer block 30 prepares control information necessary forreproducing recorded data and, upon recognizing a command for completingthe data recording session, it transmits the control information it hasprepared to the data processor 1003. As a result, the controlinformation is stored in the disk. When an encoding operation is beingconducted, the MPU of the microcomputer block 30 receives information ofthe data unit (sectional information and so on) from the encoder 50.Additionally, when a recording session is started, the MPU of themicrocomputer 30 recognizes the control information read out from thedisk (file system) and the unused (unrecorded) areas of the disk andspecifies data recording areas to be used for the recording session byway of the data processor 1003.

Now, the relationship between the control information of a real time DVDand the video objects that are contents of the DVD will be describedbelow.

Referring to FIG. 2, firstly a video object (VOB) will be described. AVOB is referred to as VR_MOVIE. VRO file in a directory. Video fileshave a hierarchical structure and a video file comprises one or morethan one VOBs (video objects). Each VOB is formed by one or more thanone VOBUs (video object units) and each VOBU is formed by a plurality ofpacks. The packs may be RDI packs of unit control information, V (video)packs, A (audio) packs and/or sub video packs (SP packs).

An RDI pack is also referred to as a real time data information pack(RDI_PCK). The pack contains information indicating the time of startingthe reproduction of the first field of the VOBU to which the packbelongs, information indicating the time of recording of the VOBU andinformation on the manufacturer (MNF 1) as well as display controlinformation (DCI) and copy control information (CCI). The displaycontrol information includes aspect ratio information, subtitle modeinformation and film camera mode information. The copy controlinformation (CCI) includes copy authorization information (0, 0) andcopy prohibition information (copy non-authorization information (1, 1).

A V pack is formed by compressing video data according to a processingmethod conforming to MPEG 2 and comprises a pack header, a packet headerand a video data section. An A pack is formed by a linear PCM, MPEG orAC3 processing method and comprises a pack header, a packet header andan audio data section.

Control information is also referred to as video manager (VMG) and theprogram chain (PGC) for controlling the sequence of reproduction of datais defined in it. A cell is defined in the program chain (PGC) and videoobject information (VOBI) that is information on the video object (VOB)to be reproduced is defined in the cell. Thus, program chain information(PGCI) contains specific information on the PGC. There are two types ofPGCI; original PGCI (ORG_PGCI) and user-defined PGC table (UD_PGCIT).

A time map (TMAP) is described in VOBI and can be used to specify theVOBUs that constitute the VOB corresponding to the VOBI. The link from acell to VOBI is identified by a logical address. The link from TMAPinformation to a VOB and the VOBUs therein is realized on the basis ofthe stream number of the VOB, the number of VOBUs in the VOB, the entrynumber of each of the VOBUs and the logical address to each target VOBU.

FIG. 3A schematically illustrates the data structure of the unit controlinformation (e. g., navigation information or real time datainformation) contained in a real time data information pack (RDI_PCK),which is described above. As shown in FIG. 3B, real time datainformation (RDI) includes RDI general information (RDI_GI), displaycontrol information and copy control information (DCI_CCI) andmanufacturer information (MNFI). RDI_GI in turn includes thepresentation start time (VOBU_S_PTM) of the first video field of theVOBU to which the RDI belongs and the VOBU recording time (VOBU_REC_T).Finally, as shown in FIG. 3C, display control information (DCI) includesaspect ratio information (of 4 bits), subtitle (caption) information (of2 bits), reservation-related information (of 1 bit) and information onthe film camera mode (of 1 bit)

The four bits of aspect ratio information are 0000 when the video aspectratio is 4:3 and 0001 when the video aspect ratio is 16:9. They areother than 0000 and 0001 when the source is a letter box. The aspectratio of a coded video image is 4:3. The two bits of subtitleinformation are 01 when the subtitle is located within the displayedimage and 10 when the subtitle is located outside the displayed image.The one bit of film camera information is 1 for a camera mode and 0 fora film mode.

As shown in FIG. 3D, copy control information CCI includes copygeneration management system (CGMS) information (of 2 bits). Copying isauthorized when the two bits are 00 and prohibited (not-authorized) whenthey are 11.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the information contained in thepacket header of a video pack, an audio pack or a sub video pack asdefined in the DVD Standard. A pack has a pack header. The pack headerdescribes the system clock reference. The system clock reference iscompared with the system clock in the apparatus and the obtained resultis used as timing information when handling information on a pack bypack basis in the apparatus. A packet header is arranged behind the packheader and followed by video data, audio data or sub video data.

In the packet header, a stream ID which is the identity information ofpacket start code, video stream, audio stream, audio stream and subvideo stream is described.

The packet header can be used to describe PES (packet elementary stream)scrambling control information (that indicates if the pack is basicallyscrambled or not), copyright information and information indicating ifthe video is original or copied. It additionally describes presentationtime information (time stamp) for synchronizing the related streams(video stream, audio stream and sub video stream) that are outputsimultaneously.

FIGS. 5A through 5D are schematic illustrations of the data structurethat can be used for the copy generation management system currently ineffect for broadcast signals.

Such data is referred to as CGMS information. CGMS information isinserted in the 20th horizontal period in a vertical blanking period ofa television signal (see FIG. 5A). It is information of 20 bits (seeFIG. 5B). The first and second bits are used as word 0 and the next fourbits from the third bit to the sixth bit are used as word 1 and equal to0000, indicating that copy generation control information is found next.The bits from the seventh bit to the fourteenth bits are used as word 2and the remaining bits from the fifteenth bit to the twentieth bit areused as CRCC, or error correction code.

The two bits including the seventh and eighth bits represent a CGMSdata, which is defined in a manner as shown in FIG. 5C. When the twobits are 0, 0, they signify that the video signal can be copied withoutrestrictions. When the two bits are 1, 0, they signify that the videosignal can be copied only once. Finally, when the two bits are 1, 1,they signify that copying the video signal is prohibited.

Thus, the recording apparatus operates in a manner as shown in FIG. 5Cwhen recording the video on a recording medium by referring to the CGMSinformation.

More specifically, when the seventh and eighth bits are 0, 0 (toauthorize any copying operation), the contents of the CGMS informationshown in FIG. 3D are made equal to 0, 0 (copy authorizing information).When the seventh and eighth bits are 1, 0 (to authorize copyingoperation only for a generation) or 1, 1 (to prohibit any copyingoperation), contents of the CGMS information in the RDI shown in FIG. 3Dare made equal to 1, 1 (copy prohibiting information). Additionally, thescrambling control information of each of the packet headers in the VOBUhaving the RDI at the head thereof is made the same as the contents ofthe CGMS information in the RDI.

This embodiment of an information recording/reproducing apparatus ischaracterized in that the copy control information in the unit controlpack and the scrambling control information for the video signal addedto all the video packs of a video object unit have an identical meaning.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the processing operation of the embodiment ofinformation recording/reproducing apparatus according to the inventionfor coordinating the copy control information in the RDI (see FIG. 3A)and the scrambling control information in the video packs (see FIG. 4).

The program describing the processing procedure is set in themicrocomputer block 30 shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 6, the data(CGMS information) inserted into a specific horizontal period of avertical blocking period is taken in from the externally inputtelevision signal (Step A1). Then, the contents of the copy-relatedinformation as described above by referring to FIGS. 5A through 5C aredetermined (Step A2, A3, A4, A5). The copy-related information istemporarily stored. Then, it is checked if the encoding operation isprogressing and an RDI pack is generated by the formatter or not (StepA6). When, an RDI pack is identified (Step A7), the copy controlinformation in the RDI pack is modified to make it adapted to thecontents of the temporarily stored copy-related information (Step A8).This modifying operation is conducted on the principle as describedabove by referring to FIG. 5C. When any copy is authorized, the two bitsof copy control information are made equal to 0, 0. When a firstgeneration copy is authorized or any copy is prohibited, the two bitsare made equal to 1, 1.

Additionally, the scrambling information in the pack header of the videopack in the VOBU containing the RDI is coordinated as in the case of theRDI (Step A9). This processing operation is conducted for all the videopacks in the VOBU until the next RDI pack is found for coordinating thecopy-related information and the scrambling control information.

While the scrambling control information of a video pack is identical tothe contents of RDI in the above description, it should be noted thatthe scrambling control information of an audio pack and that of a subvideo pack are also made to be identical with the contents of RDI in thesame VOBU.

FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of the progress with time of aprocessing operation of formatting and rearranging the copy controlinformation of a video object carried out by the formatter in theencoder 50 of FIG. 1.

Assume here that the copy-related information of the leading RDI pack ofthe first VOBU, or VOBU #1, is 0, 0 (authorizing any copy) and thescrambling information of the video pack (V_PCK) contained in the VOBU#1 is also made to be 0, 0. Also assume that the CGMS information of thevideo signal input to the encoder 50 is changed to 1, 0 or 1, 1 in thecourse of the operation of processing the VOBU #1. Then, the copy andscrambling information processing section of this embodiment detects thechange in the CGMS information. Thereafter, the contents of the CGMSinformation in the RDI located at the head of the next VOB, or VOBU #2,is made to be 1, 1 (prohibiting any copy) when generating the VOBU #2.The scrambling control information of all the video packs comingthereafter is also made to be 1, 1. Note that, while the video packcontains only a video header and video data in FIG. 7, a video headercontains a pack header and a packet header as shown in FIG. 4.

The above description is given mainly by paying attention tocopy-related information. However, according to the invention, aspectratio information can be also controlled in a coordinated manner.

According to the currently effective video recording standards (such asDVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM), not only the copy-related information but alsothe DCI (display control information) in an RDI pack can be made tocontain aspect ratio information (see FIG. 3C).

On the other hand, according to the MPEG Standard, user data including asequence header, a GOP header, an I picture and a B picture are arrangedin a predetermined order when video information is compressed. Thesequence header describes the size and the aspect ratio of the imagerepresented by the video signal.

Therefore, according to the invention, the aspect ratio information inthe CGMS information inserted in a vertical blanking period of a TVsignal is detected and used to describe aspect ratio information in theRDI to be recorded on the disk and in the sequence header in acoordinated manner.

FIGS. 8A through 8C are schematic illustrations of data that can beinserted into a specific horizontal line in a vertical blanking periodof a TV signal. Such data is referred to as CGMS information. The CGMSinformation is inserted typically in the twentieth horizontal period ofthe vertical blanking period of a TV signal (see FIG. 8A). It isinformation of twenty bits (see FIG. 8B). The first and second bits areused as word 0 and the next four bits from the third bit to the sixthbit are used as word 1 and equal to 0000, indicating that copygeneration control information is found next. The bits from the seventhbit to the fourteenth bits are used as word 2 and the remaining bitsfrom the fifteenth bit to the twentieth bit are used as CRCC, or errorcorrection code.

The two bits of the word 0 are used as aspect ratio information of thetransmitted TV signal. FIG. 8C shows the definition of the two bits ofthe word 0. As shown in FIG. 8C, 0, 0 is used for a video signal with anaspect ratio of 3:4 or no information and 1, 0 is used for an imagesqueeze signal with an aspect ratio of 16:9, while 0, 1 is used for aletter box signal with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and 1, 1 is not used.

Thus, this embodiment of a recording/reproducing apparatus adapted toprocess such an input television signal operates according to thedefinition of FIG. 8C and records the corresponding video signal on arecording medium by referring to the CGMS information. Morespecifically, it makes the aspect ratio information contained in the DCIin the RDI identical to the aspect ratio information contained in theCGMS information. Then, contents of the aspect ratio information in thesequence header of the compressed video signal conforming to the MPEGStandards and contained in the VOBU where the RDI is arranged at thehead is made to properly correspond to the contents of the aspect ratioinformation in the DCI.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of an operation of coordinating aspect ratioinformation in the RDI and (see FIG. 3C) and the aspect ratioinformation contained in the sequence header of the compressed videosignal by referring to the above described aspect ratio information inthe input video signal.

The program for this processing procedure is set in the microcomputerblock 30 shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 9, the data (CGMSinformation) inserted into a specific horizontal period of a verticalblocking period is received from the externally input television signal(Step B1). Then, the contents of the aspect ratio information asdescribed above by referring to FIGS. 8A through 8C is determined (StepB2, B3, B4, B5). The aspect ratio information is temporarily stored.Then, it is checked if the encoding operation is progressing and an RDIpack is generated by the formatter or not (Step B6). When an RDI pack isidentified (Step B7), the aspect ratio information of the DCI in the RDIpack is modified to adapt it to the contents of the temporarily-storedaspect ratio information (Step B8). This modifying operation isconducted on the principle as described above by referring to FIG. 8C.

More specifically, when the CGMS information of the input source isdetermined to be 0, 0, this refers to a signal of an image with anaspect ratio of 4:3 and hence the aspect ratio information of the RDI isset to 0, 0, 0, 0. When the CGMS information of the input source isdetermined to be 1, 0, this refers to a signal of an image with anaspect ratio of 16:9 and hence the aspect ratio information of the RDIis set to 0, 0, 0, 1. Likewise, when the CGMS information of the inputsource is determined to be 0, 1, this refers to a letter box signal ofan image with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and hence the aspect ratioinformation of the RDI is basically set to 0, 0, 0, 0.

Additionally, the aspect ratio information in a sequence header of thevideo pack in the VOBU containing the RDI is coordinated as in the caseof the RDI (Step B9). This processing operation is conducted for all thevideo packs in the VOBU until the next RDI pack is found forcoordinating the copy control information and the scrambling controlinformation.

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of the progress with time of aprocessing operation for formatting and rearranging video information bymeans of the formatter in the encoder 50 shown in FIG. 1. In the case ofvideo packs (V_PACK) to be combined together according to the MPEGStandards, the data section of each video pack comprises a sequenceheader, a GOP header, a compressed I picture and a compressed B picture.

Assume here that the aspect ratio information of the leading RDI pack ofthe first VOBU, or VOBU #1, is 0, 0 and the aspect ratio information ofthe sequence header of the compressed video signal contained in the VOBU#1 is also made to be equal to 0, 0, 0, 0. Also assume that the CGMSinformation of the video signal input to the encoder 50 is changed to 1,0 or 1, 1 in the course of the operation of processing the VOBU #1.Then, the copy and scrambling information processing section of thisembodiment detects the change in the CGMS information. Thereafter, thecontents of the CGMS information in the RDI located at the head of thenext VOB, or VOBU #2, is made to be equal to 0, 0, 0, 1 (16:9) whengenerating the VOBU #2. The aspect ratio information of all thesubsequent sequence headers is also made to be equal to 0, 0, 0, 1.

While the aspect ratio information of the RDI is basically set to 0, 0,0, 0 when the CGMS information of the input source is determined to be0, 0 (indicating an aspect ratio of 4:3), whereas the aspect ratioinformation of the RDI is set to 0, 0, 0, 1 when the CGMS information ofthe input source is determined to be 1, 0 (indicating an aspect ratio of16:9) in the above description, the aspect ratio information may bedefined in a more detailed way by the user who is monitoring theoperation. For example, values such as 1000, 0100, 1101, 0010, 1011,0111 may be used in the case of a letter box. In this case again, theaspect ratio information of the sequence header of the video datacompressed according to the MPEG Standard and the aspect ratioinformation of the corresponding RDI are made to be same and identicalrelative to each other.

As described above, copy control information and aspect ratioinformation are coordinated on a video object unit basis. Therefore, inthe case where the method and apparatus according to the invention arededicated to reproduction, the data of the video object unit to which avideo pack belongs may be determined to be authorizing or prohibitingcopies solely depending on the video scrambling control information ofthe video pack (or an audio pack or a sub video pack) to simplify theinformation judging function of the entire apparatus. It should beappreciated that the same is true for judging aspect ratio information.

The general concept of the present invention is not limited to the abovedescribed embodiment.

In the above described embodiment, the copy control information in theunit control information (RDI) and the scrambling control information inthe packet header are coordinated in order to coordinate differentpieces of copy-related information. Similarly, the aspect ratioinformation in the unit control information (RDI) and the aspect ratioinformation in the sequence header are coordinated in order tocoordinate different pieces of aspect ratio information.

However, according to the DVD Recording Standard, copy-relatedinformation and aspect ratio information are found also in controlinformation on a VOB unit basis (M_VOB_STI: movie video object streaminformation) and control information for controlling an entire videofile (attribute information in the file system).

Therefore, an embodiment having the functional features of the firstembodiment and additionally adapted to coordinate copy-relatedinformation and aspect ratio information on a VOB unit basis will bediscussed below.

Referring to FIG. 11, in a DVD system, information for controlling videoinformation of a disk and information for controlling the titles in thevideo information are unified and defined as video manager information(VMGI).

In the directory “DVD_RTAV”, there are a video manager file VR_MANGR.IFO, movie video file VR_MOVIE. VRO, still picture video file VR_STILL.VRO, annexed audio file VR_AUDIO. VRO and video manager back up fileVR_MANGR. BUP.

The VR_MANGR. IFO is used to store navigation data for controllingprogram sets, programs, entry points, play lists and so on.

The VR_MOVIE. VRO is a movie AV file for storing movie video objects(movie VOBs).

The VR_STILL. VRO is a still picture AV file for storing still pictureVOBs.

The VR_AUDIO. VRO is a still picture annexed audio file for storing theaudio streams annexed to still pictures.

The VR_MOVIE. VRO is used to store original VOBs constituted by videoparts containing arbitrarily selected sub-picture units. The originalVOBs may include audio parts related to the video parts.

The VR_AUDIO. VROS is used to store annexed audio parts, which indicatethe audio streams recorded by after-recording operations. The audioparts recorded in the VR_AUDIO. VRO are combined with several videoparts stored in the VR_STILL. VRO. The VR_MANGR. BUP is a backup file ofthe VR_MANGR. IFO. It is prepared simultaneously with the VR_MANGR. IFOas a perfect copy of the latter but stored in a recording area differentfrom that of the VR_MANGR. IFO.

The disk is managed on a file unit basis and the information of eachfile is described in an area provided with a logical block number on thedisk. The logical block numbers (LBN) start with a logical sector number(LSN) that refers to a physical address on the disk, for instance the8576-th logical sector number.

FIG. 12 is a schematic and hierarchical illustration of the datastructure of management information (to be referred to as navigationdata to be used for recording/reproducing video and audio data) that iscontrolled in the file VR_MANGR. IFO. The management informationincludes a real time recording video manager (RTR_VMG) containing RTRvideo manager information (RTR_VMGI), a movie AV file information table(M_AVFIT), a still picture AV file information table (S_AVFIT), originalPGC information (ORG_PGCI), a user-defined PGC information table(UD_PGCIT), a text data manager (TXTDT_MG) and a manufacturerinformation table (MNFIT).

The RTR_VMGI describes the identifier of the manager, the start and endaddresses of the manager, version information, the time zone to be usedfor specifying the time when the disk is used, the still time forspecifying the time when a still picture is displayed at the end of adata reproducing operation, character code information to be used astext information, a resume marker to be used for indicating theinterrupted position when a data reproducing operation is interrupted,information on the symbol image of the disk, information on the symbolname of the disk and so on.

The M_AVFIT describes M_AVFIT information, the movie video object streaminformation of each stream (M_VOB_STI #1 through #n) and movie AV fileinformation (M_AVFI).

The M_AVFIT information contains the number of M_VOB_STIs. The M_VOB_STIcontains the video attributes of the VOBs (V_ATR), the number of audiostreams (AST_Ns) and so on. The V_ATR may include a description ofaspect ratio information.

Thus, it is possible to control aspect ratio information on a videoobject by video object (VOB) basis. A VOB may contain a plurality ofVOBUs.

Therefore, this embodiment is provided with a means for coordinating theaspect ratio information on a VOB by VOB basis and the aspect ratioinformation on a VOBU by VOBU basis.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart of the operation of another means forcoordinating different pieces of aspect ratio information. In FIG. 13,the steps down to Step B9 are identical with the counterparts of FIG. 9.

The data (CGMS information) inserted into a specific horizontal periodof a vertical blocking period is received from the externally inputtelevision signal (Step B1). Then, the contents of the aspect ratioinformation as described above are determined (Step B2, B3, B4, B5). Theaspect ratio information is temporarily stored. Then, it is checked ifthe encoding operation is progressing and an RDI pack is generated bythe formatter or not (Step B6). When, an RDI pack is identified (StepB7), the aspect ratio information of the DCI in the RDI pack is modifiedto adapt it to the contents of the temporarily stored aspect ratioinformation (Step B8). This modifying operation is conducted on theprinciple as described above by referring to FIG. 8C.

More specifically, when the CGMS information of the input source isdetermined to be 0, 0, this refers to a signal of an image with anaspect ratio of 4:3 and hence the aspect ratio information of the RDI isset to 0, 0, 0, 0. When the CGMS information of the input source isdetermined to be 1, 0, this refers to a signal of an image with anaspect ratio of 16:9 and hence the aspect ratio information of the RDIis set to 0, 0, 0, 1. Likewise, when the CGMS information of the inputsource is determined to be 0, 1, this refers to a letter box signal ofan image with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and hence the aspect ratioinformation of the RDI is basically set to 0, 0, 0, 0.

Additionally, the aspect ratio information in the sequence header of thevideo pack in the VOBU containing the RDI is coordinated as in the caseof the RDI (Step B9). This processing operation is conducted for all thevideo packs in the VOBU until the next RDI pack is found forcoordinating the copy control information and the scrambling controlinformation.

Then, with this embodiment, the contents of the RDI_CCI as determined inStep B8 are counted on a VOBU by VOBU basis and stored. Morespecifically, the number of VOBUs (the number of RDIs) for which theaspect ratio 4:3 is selected and the number of VOBUs (the number ofRDIs) for which the aspect ratio of 16:9 is selected are respectivelystored (Step B10). Thereafter, in Step B11, it is determined if thevideo recording operation is terminated (or the preselected automaticvideo recording operation is terminated) or not. If the operation is notterminated, the processing operation returns to Step A1. If, on theother hand, the operation is terminated, it is determined which of thenumber of VOBUs for which the aspect ratio of 4:3 is selected and thenumber of VOBUs for which the aspect ratio of 16:9 is selected isgreater (Step B11).

If the number of VOBUs for which the aspect ratio of 4:3 is selected isgreater, 00 representing the aspect ratio of 4:3 is described in theV_ATR. If, on the other hand, the number of VOBUs for which the aspectratio of 16:9 is selected is greater, 01 representing the aspect ratioof 16:3 is described in the A_ATR.

In this way, aspect ratio information can be controlled on a VOBU byVOBU basis.

Now, the operation of controlling copy-related information on a VOB byVOB basis will be described below.

FIG. 14 is a schematic and hierarchical illustration of the informationcontained in the movie AV file information (M_AVFI) (to be used asmanagement information for controlling each video object (VOB)) that iscontained in the management information shown in FIG. 12.

The M_AVFI describes M_AVFI general information (M_AVFIGI), movie videoobject information search pointers (M_VOBI_SRP #1 through #n) and thepieces of movie video object information (M_VOBI #1 through #n)indicated by the respective search pointers. Each M_VOBI contains movievideo object generation information (M_VOB_GI), seamless information(SMLI), audio gap information (AGAPI) and time map information (TMPI).The M_VOB_GI in turn contains the type of the VOB, information on thetime when the VOB is recorded, sub time information (the number offields) when the VOB is recorded, the stream number of the VOB, thestart time and the end time of the VOB, etc. Additionally, an area to beused for writing copy protection information is reserved in theM_VOB_GI.

The SMLI shows the system clock reference indicating the time forhandling the first pack contained in the VOB and the system clockreference indicating the time for handling the last pack contained inthe VOB. The AGAPI describes the time for stopping the reproduction ofthe audio relating to the VOB (presentation time) and the audio gaplength separating audio streams. The TMAPI describes the entry addressand the entry number of the target VOBU selected out of the plurality ofVOBUs contained in the VOB. In addition, the TMAPI describes the size ofthe VOBU.

As pointed out above, copy protection information can be written to theM_VOB_GI. In other words, copy protection information can be defined ona VOB by VOB basis. Therefore, this embodiment is provided with a meansfor coordinating copy-related information prepared on a VOB by VOB basisand copy-related information prepared on a VOBU by VOBU basis. Thiscoordinating operation will be described by referring to the flow chartof FIG. 15.

The steps down to Step A9 in FIG. 15 are used for coordinating thecontents of CGMS information prepared on a VOBU by VOBU basis asdescribed earlier by referring to FIG. 6. The steps from Step A1 throughStep A9 will be briefly described here. the data (CGMS information)inserted into a specific horizontal period of a vertical blocking periodis taken in from the externally input television signal (Step A1). Then,the contents of the copy-related information as described above aredetermined (Step A2, A3, A4, A5). The copy-related information istemporarily stored. Then, it is checked if the encoding operation isprogressing and an RDI pack is generated by the formatter or not (StepA6). When an RDI pack is identified (Step A7), the copy controlinformation in the RDI pack is modified to adapt it to the contents ofthe temporarily stored copy-related information (Step A8). Thismodifying operation is conducted on the principle as described above byreferring to FIG. 5C. When copying is authorized, the two bits of copycontrol information are made equal to 0, 0. When a first generation copyis authorized or copying is prohibited, the two bits are made equal to1, 1. Additionally, the scrambling information in the pack header of thevideo pack in the VOBU containing the RDI is coordinated as in the caseof the RDI (Step A9).

Thereafter, with this embodiment, the contents of the RDI_CCI determinedin Step A8 are counted on a VOBU by VOBU basis and stored. Morespecifically, the number of VOBUs (the number of RDIs) prohibiting anycopy and the number of VOBUs (the number of RDIs) authorizing any copyare stored (Step A10). Then, in Step All, it is determined if the videorecording operation is terminated (or the preselected automatic videorecording operation is terminated) or not. If the operation is notterminated, the processing operation returns to Step A1. If, on theother hand, the operation is terminated, it is determined which of thenumber of VOBUs prohibiting copying and the number of VOBUs authorizingcopying is greater (Step A12).

If the number of VOBUs prohibiting copying is greater than the number ofVOBUs authorizing copying, the copy protection information described inthe V_ATR (FIG. 14) is added to the copy prohibiting description and thevideo recording operation is terminated. If, to the contrary, the numberof VOBUs authorizing copying is greater than the number of VOBUsprohibiting any copy, the copy protection information described in theV_ATR (FIG. 14) is added to the copy authorizing description and thevideo recording operation is terminated.

With this arrangement, it is possible to control the authorization orprohibition of copies on a VOB by VOB basis.

The number of VOBUs prohibiting copying and that of VOBUs authorizingcopying are compared and the copy protection information is determinedfor each VOB on a majority basis in the above description. However, thepresent invention is by no means limited to such an arrangement.

For example, it may alternatively be so arranged that copying isprohibited unconditionally for a VOB (1) when the number of VOBUs of theVOB prohibiting any copy is equal to or greater than a predeterminedvalue or (2) when one or more than one VOBUs of the VOB prohibit anycopy.

The above described embodiment is adapted to manage copy-relatedinformation and aspect ratio information on a VOBU by VOBU basis andalso on a VOB by VOB basis.

However, the present invention is by no means limited to the aboveembodiments. According to the DVD Recording Standard, copy-relatedinformation is also found in management information for controlling anentire video file (attribute information in a file system).

Thus, an embodiment for coordinating various pieces of copy-relatedinformation on a file by file basis will be described below.

FIG. 16 is a schematic illustration of information on the fileconfiguration of a DVD file systems. A file entry to be used forentering a DVD-RTAV file is described in the logical block number (LBN)145. The number of the logical block where the main body (data) of thefile is described is shown in the file entry. Therefore, the DVD-RTAVfile can be accessed as the reproduction system refers to the logicalblock number.

Additionally, file identifier descriptors are described in theinformation on the file configuration of FIG. 16. The file identifierdescriptors indicate file names. Information for entering the abovedescribed files of VR_MANGR. IFO, VR_MOVIE. VRO, VR_STILL. VRO,VR_AUDIO. VRO and VR_MAN GR. BUP is also described there. The pieces offile entry information for entering these files are describedrespectively in the logical blocks with numbers 147, 148, 149, 150 and151.

FIG. 17 is a schematic illustration of the configuration of the fileentry information in FIG. 16. The extent attribute is described at byteposition 176. The extent attribute describes the header check SAM, CGMSinformation, the data configuration type and protection systeminformation.

CGMS information shows the contents of the CGMS. When the CGMSinformation is 0, it signifies that copying is authorized. When it is 2,it signifies that copying is authorized only once. Finally, when it is3, it signifies that copying is prohibited.

With this embodiment, authorization and prohibition of copying can becontrolled on a file by file basis by controlling the operation ofrewriting the contents of the CGMS in the above extent attribute.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart of the operation of identifying the contents ofthe CGMS in the file system on a file by file basis.

This operation is conducted at the end of a processing operation forterminating a video recording session. Firstly, it is determined ifthere are a plurality of recorded VOBs or not (Step C1). If only asingle VOB is recorded, copy prohibition information or copyauthorization information corresponding to the copy protectioninformation of the VOB is directly written into the CGMS of the filesystem (Step C4). If there is more than one recorded VOB, the contentsof the copy protection information of V_ATR of each of the VOBs aretemporarily stored in the storage section (Step C2). Then, it isdetermined if both prohibition of copying and authorization of copyingexist or not (Step C3). If it is determined that they coexist,authorization of copying is selected for the CGMS of the file system(Step C5). As a result, the judgment for authorizing or prohibitingcopying will be made on a VOB by VOB basis. If, on the other hand, it isdetermined that only prohibition of copying or authorization of copyingexists in Step C3, the operation proceeds to Step C4, where the copyprotection information of V_ATR of one of the VOBs is directly describedinto the CGMS of the file system. Then, as a result, copy-relatedinformation is controlled on a file by file basis.

As described above, with this embodiment, the copy control informationof a predetermined area (RDI) specified by the format of the DVD and thescrambling control information described in a predetermined area (packheader) specified by the MPEG_PS format are coordinated to effectivelyprevent unauthorized copying and reproduction. It is also possible tocontrol copy prohibition and copy authorization information on a file byVOB or file basis.

The above described embodiments of method of coordinately processingpieces of copy information and the detected copy-related information.

It may alternatively be so arranged as to determine if the data of avideo object unit containing video packs are authorized to be copied ornot depending on the contents of the video scrambling controlinformation only for the video packs.

A video object management section is provided to manage video objects,each of which is formed by assembling a plurality of video object units.When the video object management means prepares video object managementinformation, it detects the copy control information in each unitcontrol pack and rearranges the copy-related information in the objectmanagement information to make it correspond to the detected copycontrol information.

According to the embodiments, it is also possible to manage videoobjects as files. The video object management section manages videoobjects, each of which is formed by assembling a plurality of videoobject units. When forming video objects, the control section detectsthe copy-related information contained in the input source andrearranges the copy control information in the unit control pack so asto make it correspond to the contents of the detected copy-relatedinformation. At the same time, the video object management sectionrearranges the contents of the scrambling control information annexed toall the video those of information recording/reproducing apparatusaccording to the embodiments will be summarized below.

As units of information, a video pack containing video informationobtained by compressing video data and a packet header in turncontaining video scrambling control information, an audio packcontaining audio information obtained by compressing audio data and apacket header in turn containing audio scrambling control information, aunit control pack (RDI) to be used as control information including copycontrol information (CCI), a video object unit (VOBU) having a unitcontrol pack at the head and containing one or more than one video packsand one or more than one audio packs and a video object (VOB) containingone or more than one VOBUs are defined.

The video decoder generates video packs out of an input source. Theaudio decoder generates audio packs out of the input source. Theformatter generates video object units. The control section detects thecopy-related information contained in said input source and rearrangesthe copy control information in each unit control pack so as to make itcorrespond to the detected copy-related information. The control sectionalso rearranges the contents of the scrambling control informationannexed to all the video packs in each video object unit having therearranged copy control information at the head so as to make itcorrespond to packs in each video object unit having the rearranged copycontrol information at the head so as to make it correspond to thedetected copy-related information. Then, the video object managementsection determines if the number of pieces of copy prohibitioninformation is greater than the number of pieces of copy authorizationinformation or not in each piece of copy-related information of aplurality of unit control packs for the purpose of preparing objectmanagement information. Subsequently, it rearranges the copy-relatedinformation in the object management information so as to make itcorrespond to the contents of the copy-related information selected on amajority basis.

According to the embodiment, a file management section is provided tomanage a plurality of video objects. When copy-related informationprohibiting copying is found in the object management information at thetime of preparing file management information, the file management meanscan enter the copy-related information prohibiting copying in the filemanagement information. The file management means also makes a judgmenton a plurality of pieces of video object management information and,when it is determined that copy-related information prohibiting copyingand copy-related information authorizing copying coexist, it mayrearrange the copy-related information so as to make it authorizecopying.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects isnot limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shownand described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventiveconcept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. An information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording andplayback video information, wherein said video information is adapted toan information processing data format that is defined to include (1)video packs of which data is configured by a packet header containingscrambling control information and compressed video data, (2) audiopacks of which data is audio information, (3) unit control information(RDI) packs as managing information including copy control information,(4) a video object unit including one unit control information (RDI)pack at the head and including the video packs and audio packscontinuing to the unit control information pack, (5) and video object(VOB) including one or more of the video object unit (VOBU), theapparatus comprising: an encoder including a video encoder, an audioencoder and a formatter, which assembles the video packs, the audiopacks and the video object unit; a controller including a RDI processingsection and a packet header processing section, which coordinatescontent of the copy control information in the video object unit, bydetecting a copy control information from the input source, where theRDI processing section changes the content of the copy controlinformation in the RDI pack to the corresponding content with thedetected copy control information, and the packet header processingsection changes the content of scrambling control information in theheaders in the video packs belonging to the video object unit to thecorresponding content with the detected copy control information.
 2. Anapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the packet header processingsection further coordinates the content of the video scrambling controlinformation with the content of the audio scrambling control informationof the audio pack.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theinformation processing data format defines a sub picture pack having apacket including a packet header having a sub picture scrambling controlinformation and including sub picture data; and the packet headerprocessing section further coordinates the content of the videoscrambling control information with the content of the sub picturescrambling control information of the sub picture pack.
 4. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the controller has: means for makingmajority decision by determining if the copy control informationcontained in each of the plurality of unit control information (RDI)packs in a video object authorizes or prohibits copying; and means fordetermining the contents of the copy control information for whole ofthe video object on the basis of the majority decision.
 5. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the controller has: means for detecting ifthe copy control information contained in each of the plurality of unitcontrol information (RDI) packs in a video object authorizes orprohibits copying; and means for determining the contents of the copycontrol information for whole of the video object so as to prohibitcopying if copy control information prohibiting copying is detected. 6.An information recording/reproducing method for recording and playbackvideo information, wherein said video information is adapted to aninformation processing data format than is defined to include (1) videopacks of which data is configured by a packet header containingscrambling control information and compressed video data, (2) audiopacks of which data is audio information. (3) unit control information(RDI) packs us managing information including copy control information,(4) a video object unit including one unit control information (RDI)pack at the head and including the video packs and audio packscontinuing to the unit control information pack, (5) and video object(VOB) including one or more of the video object unit (VOBU), the methodcomprising: assembling the video packs, the audio packs and the videoobject unit by a video encoder, an audio encoder and a formatter;coordinating content of the copy control information in the video objectunit, by detecting a copy control information from the input source,where the RDI processing section changes the content of the copy controlinformation in the RDI pack to the corresponding content with thedetected copy control information, and the packet header processingsection changes the content of scrambling control information in theheaders in the video packs belonging to the video object unit to thecorresponding content with the detected copy control information.
 7. Themethod according to claim 6, wherein the method further coordinates thecontent of the video scrambling control information with the content ofthe audio scrambling control information of the audio pack.
 8. Themethod according to claim 6, wherein the information processing dataformat defines a sub picture pack having a packet including a packetheader having a sub picture scrambling control information and includingsub picture data, and the method further coordinates the content of thevideo scrambling control information with the content of the sub picturescrambling control information of the sub picture pack.
 9. The methodaccording to claim 6, wherein the method further comprises: makingmajority decision by determining if the copy control informationcontained in each of the plurality of unit control information (RDI)packs in a video object authorizes or prohibits copying; and determiningthe contents of the copy control information for whole of the videoobject on the basis of the majority decision.
 10. The method accordingto claim 6, wherein the method further comprises: detecting if the copycontrol information contained in each of the plurality of unit controlinformation (RDI) packs in a video object authorizes or prohibitscopying; and determining the contents of the copy control informationfor whole of the video object so as to prohibit copying if copy controlinformation prohibiting copying is detected.